LATE-night revellers are threatening to spoil the fun at Nantwich's new play park.

Less than two weeks after the opening of the new skate park on the Barony, residents are considering organising a petition calling for stricter control.

The skate park has proved a huge success with youngsters of all ages during their school holidays.

But at night yobs take over, making a constant din into the early hours.

One Barony Road resident, who said they did not want to be named 'for fear of having a skate board through the window', said: 'I have spoken to many of my neighbours and they are already sick to death of the constant noise until 3am.

'Some of the youngsters take bottles of booze there and have even been sleeping under the ramps.

'We don't want to spoil anyone's fun, but surely 8am to 11pm would be an adequate use of the facility. It needs fencing off and closing down at night so that the unruly element can't get in.'

Resident's are calling for better policing of the area 'so that we can get some sleep'.

But PC Rick Johnson, one of the town's community police officers, said: 'It is not the skate park which is attracting the unruly element.

'That existed on the Barony Park well before the new facility was opened. The skate park is merely a new meeting point.

'I have personally been on patrol on the aprk at both midnight and 3.30am and I accept there is a problem. But it is something we have been looking to alleviate well before the skate park opened.'

Crewe and Nantwich borough councillor Arthur Moran said: 'People living near the Barony Park have contacted me saying they are already fed up with the late night noise and associated problems.

'But I ask them to be patient for a little while before they start considering organising petitions.

'This is a new venture - and a huge success in the eyes of most of the youngsters - and it is having its teething problems.

'The fitness suite, which is part of the overall development at the park, is due to open very shortly.

'With that will come staff who will be able to keep a general eye on things at the skate park - but perhaps more importantly CCTV cameras which will be linked to the rest of the town's network of cameras.

'I feel the cameras will play a significant part in controlling what admittedly is an unruly element on the park.

'I would say 99 per cent of the skaters go to the park to enjoy themselves.

'But, as in many things, there is a small group which wants to spoil things for everyone else.

'I think given a small amount of time we will get rid of that element.'